Typical swimming pool installations include a system which provides a water pump and a filter generally located adjacent the pool for recirculating and cleaning the water of suspended particulates. These systems usually include a skimmer device located along the side wall of the pool enclosure at water level for suctioning off floating debris and surface film. The skimmer includes a small filter basket for catching larger particulates before these enter the associated conduit network and the main pool filter. The swimming pool will also have a main drain located along the deepest portion of the floor of the pool. The main drain communicates with a conduit leading to the water pump, which generally includes a removable filter basket for intercepting large particulates before they pass through the pump mechanism and on to the main filter.
An additional pool cleaning device also employed is a water suction activated pool vacuum cleaner. These devices are usually self-powered by being propelled through the action of the water pump as it suctions water through the pool vacuum cleaner and its attached hose. The pool vacuum cleaner is typically a dandomly roaming device which suctions water very close to the pool's submerged surfaces, both the pool floor and the side walls, as it roams. Many varieties of these devices are known, and are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
The problem, however, is that a pool vacuum cleaner is not generally left permanently connected to the water recirculation system, as the cleaner itself and its associated hose will get in the way of swimmers and obstruct other recreational activities in the pool. Because of this, the pool owner will connect the pool vacuum cleaner into the system as needed for cleaning the pool, and will then have to disconnect the cleaner and hose and separately store the combination out of the pool. Most pool owners find this to be a tedious activity, and have difficulty maintaining a proper cleaning schedule. Additionally, storing the pool vacuum cleaner and hose require some type of storage closet or storage box in order to keep the inactive device out of sight and promote safety and orderliness around the pool area.